Method and device for electrolyte crust breaking by separation plasma cutting

• Main Authors: Mann, Viktor Khrist'yanovich, Shtefanyuk, Yurij Mikhajlovich, Mukhanov, Sergej Mikhajlovich, Petrov, Aleksandr Mikhajlovich, Pingin, Vitalij Valer'evich
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.04.2020
• Subjects: APPARATUS THEREFOR; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES; CHEMISTRY; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; HAND TOOLS; MACHINE TOOLS; MANIPULATORS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; METALLURGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY ORREFINING OF METALS; SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; TRANSPORTING; WELDING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

The present disclosure relates to aluminum production, more particularly, to a method of breaking an electrolyte crust in reduction cells of all types. According to a disclosed method for breaking electrolyte crust by means of separation cutting in a reduction cell for production of aluminum, the crust is cut and broken by means of the thermal melting of a crust material with a high-speed high-temperature concentrated flow of thermal plasma jet heat energy, for which a directed thermal plasma jet is generated and moved above the electrolyte crust along a predetermined path, a formed molten material is continuously removed from a zone of the thermal plasma jet impact to create in the electrolyte crust a slit with the thermal plasma jet, wherein the slit is enough for of crust continuous separation cutting and breaking. The technical effect in the addressing the mentioned object, reduction of the amount of broken electrolyte crust, avoiding the formation of electrolyte crust pieces during the breakage process and, consequently, reduction of power consumption for heating-up the covering material consisting of a mixture of alumina and crushed electrolyte used to form an electrolyte crust.